New To Differences
by Cammeal
Summary: Mafuyu is popular with the guys at her school but she isn't interested in any of them; that is, until a certain silver haired boy arrives at her school. A victim of bullying and always having to be the strong one, where and with who will she end up with? AU and possible OC's.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I am currently working on another story but I felt the need to write a different story. I hope you enjoy! I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 1 Mafuyu's Point of View

I rest my chin on the palm of my hand and zone out as the teacher begins to dismiss us with a final talk. As soon as I hear her say, "Class dismissed," I pack my things and get up to head home. Before I reach the door she calls out to me, "Oribe-san, may I have a word with you?"

I nod my head and stay behind as the classroom clears out. She begins, "Please give these worksheets to Miss Yamanobe Tomo. Is she doing better?"

"Yes, her fever has gone down, she should be able to come in on Monday," I respond as I take the worksheets and put them into my bag.

"Well that's good, like I was saying right before I dismissed class: I would like all the students to be present on Monday. We are expecting a new student who is a bit younger than you all and I'd like for him to feel welcomed by everyone," She explains cheerfully.

 _Someone younger, I wonder how smart he is and how much younger. I guess I'll have to wait until Monday to find out._ I say in response, "Sounds exciting, I can't remember the last time a class I was in had a new student."

"And not just any new student; he is from Russia and two, almost three, years younger. But you will get to know more about him when the time comes," She finishes.

"Right…if that is all Sensei, I will be going," I excuse myself with a polite bow and head home.

When I reach the house that the school granted to us, I call out, "Tomo, I'm home!"

"Mafuyu-chan!" Tomo comes to the door and greets me with a hug. I smile and hug her back before asking, "Are you doing better? No sign of the fever coming back?"

"Nope! I am much better thanks to your care, Mafuyu-chan."

"Well I'm glad to hear that. You have to be healthy so you can come in on Monday. Sensei is hoping for every student in our class to be present so we can welcome a new transfer student," I explain as I replace my shoes with the indoor slippers.

Tomo seems excited from the news and begins to ask questions, "What do you know about the transfer student, Mafuyu-chan? Boy or girl? Age? Where are they transferring from?"

"Woah, settle down, Tomo. Luckily I can answer those questions but I don't know much more. _He_ is fifteen about to be sixteen, based off of the information I was given. He is transferring from Russia but I'm not sure which school from Russia."

"I see," Tomo says while pondering.

Before I can pull out the worksheets from class, Tomo asks with a glint in her eyes, "Do you think you'll like him?"

I blush for an unknown reason as I respond, "What do you mean? I don't know him."

She explains herself, "Don't you see, Mafuyu-chan? You aren't interested in any of the boys at this school as far as I'm concerned. But maybe this new guy will be the one to capture your attention."

"Why would I focus on a transfer student? Why would a transfer student become interested in me? Besides, I'm not interested in guys here because they're not interested in me," I say defending myself.

Tomo crosses her arms and looks at me before saying with a serious yet gentle tone, "That's not true. You just don't notice it because you close yourself off to them."

I shake my head and change the subject, "Anyway, Tomo, here are the worksheets for the past couple of days that you missed. I'll help you with them if you like. But first, I'll make dinner."

Tomo nods and smiles at me as she takes the worksheets from my hands. I head upstairs to change before starting dinner.

After Tomo and I eat I help her out with the worksheets before doing my own. Afterwards, I prepare myself for bed. I lay awake for a while, thinking about what Tomo had said. Is it possible that I'm the one standing in my own way of getting into a relationship?

I shake my head and attempt to go to sleep, dreading Monday even though it's two days away still.

I yawn quietly as I walk alongside Tomo to our homeroom class. Tomo seems excited to be going back to school and to meet the new transfer student I had told her about. I on the other hand feel horrible. I hadn't been able to sleep much over the weekend because thoughts of the new transfer student kept popping up in my mind.

I was nervous for an unknown reason. I couldn't bring myself to tell Tomo about my uneasiness because I knew I'd sound crazy. I sigh quietly as we reach the school building.

Before Tomo and I even make it close to our classroom we bump into Miyuri and Hana. Tomo apologizes immediately as I simply look down. I grit my teeth for a second before grabbing Tomo's hand and saying, "Come on, we don't want to be late for class."

"Not so fast, Oribe-san," Miyuri says while blocking my path.

I look up and glare at her. She smirks and says, "If you follow us, Yamanobe-san can go on ahead without our influence."

 _If it means keeping Tomo safe…_ I let go of Tomo's hand and turn to face her. I place my hands on her shoulders before calmly saying, "Don't worry, Tomo. Go on ahead. I'll catch up with you."

"Mafuyu-chan, are you sure you don't want me to help?" She suggests.

I shake my head. I know things will only get worse if teachers get involved. I give her a reassuring smile before following Miyuri and Hana down to a less populated area of the school.

Once we reach an abandoned classroom, Hana shoves me against the wall demanding, "Alright, Oribe-san. It's our last year in high school and I know you don't want to be kicked out of your fancy house granted to you by the school."

"What do you want?!" I exclaim as I get into a defensive position.

"You know what'll happen if you fight back, so don't even think about it," Miyuri says as she stands next to Hana.

Hana explains, "We'll just like to request a fee. I'm sure it's not much to ask for from a student like you."

"But I don-" I am cut off when Hana suddenly slaps me across the face.

"It's rude to interrupt people when they're speaking!" Hana yells as she grabs my shirt and pulls me up with it.

I tense up slightly and remain silent. She smirks and continues, "The fee isn't money. Sometimes we just have to take out our anger or have a chore done for us. Too bad your first fee is right now, from me and it has to do with releasing anger."

My eyes widen slightly as her words process through my head. I gulp slowly as Hana plans out her hits before executing them.

They finish up a few minutes before the bell rings. Miyuri calls back to me before shutting the door behind her, "And remember, no adults involved if you know what's good for Yamanobe-san."

As soon as I hear the click of the door I hug my knees and shed a few tears to let out my frustration. I rummage through my bag then for my small mirror. I gasp when I see the small gash across my face.

It's the only visible wound apart from my bloody nose. There's no way people will see the bruises caused by kicks that Hana threw at my side. I pull out my handkerchief and put it to my nose. I wait a few minutes after the bell rings before walking to the nurse's office.

When the nurse looks at me she gasps, asking, "What happened, Oribe-san?"

"Eh? Nothing, it was just an accident. I ran into a door as a student opened it, that's all." I don't make eye contact with her as I tell her about my 'accident'. She sighs in defeat but proceeds to help clean my face.

She suggests I rest a while in her office to compose myself. I nod as she excuses herself to give a note to my teacher. I sit on one of the cots and hug my knees, refraining from crying. I must be strong for Tomo.

After making sure that my face looks okay for the most part, I decide to go back to class. Unfortunately, it's my last class of the day. I enter quietly as the rest of my classmates begin to go back to their seats.

I can sense Tomo's eyes on me but I don't look up at her. She gently sets down the worksheets from the earlier classes along with a note that reads, "I'll let you copy my notes when we get home."

I whisper, "Thank you, Tomo," as our teacher asks us all to take our seats. I sigh inwardly as she begins her lesson. _I just want to go home._

When she finally dismisses us, she asks me to stay behind again. I nod and then quickly tell Tomo, "Go on ahead without me. I'll catch up with you."

Tomo looks at me worriedly before nodding her head and exiting the room along with the other students. While I was talking to Tomo, I hadn't noticed that the teacher had asked someone else to stay behind.

Still looking at the ground, I walk up to the teacher and ask, "Yes, Sensei?"

"Oribe-san, is everything alright?" She asks worriedly.

I realize I am being rude by not looking at her. I apologize quickly, "I'm sorry! Yes everything is fine."

"You are a very loud woman," A deep voice speaks suddenly.

I tense up as my eyes widen and I look up at the teacher. She smiles gently before motioning to the other side of her. I look over as she says, "Oribe Mafuyu, this is Alexander Nikolaevich Hell, our new transfer student."

As I make eye contact with him I feel the whole world stop. I become lost, looking into his green eyes that are deep, intensely deep.

 **AN: I hope this first chapter isn't too long. And I really hope you all will like it. Please review:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So I'm really hoping this story turns out good. And I'm really sorry if you don't like how I'm portraying Miyuri and Hana in this story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 2 Mafuyu's Point of View

Before me stands a boy with deep, green eyes and silver hair. His bangs barely reach his eyelids but I'm sure if he were to look down they'd cover his eyes completely. He is slightly taller than me and I'm sure he's not done growing. He still seems a bit thin but hey, he's only fifteen, in a couple of years he should fill in a little more.

I know time hasn't stopped but it sure feels like it has. As I continue to stare into his deep gaze, I almost don't hear the teacher, "And I was hoping, Oribe-san, that you would be the one to show him around and in a way tend to him. He is staying in the same building as you after all."

I feel my eyes widen as her words reach me. _He is staying in the same school house as Tomo and I?! Why would the school allow co-ed dormitories all of a sudden?_

Before I can ask her anything she explains, "Yuuri had things arranged this way for his own reasons. Anyway, that is all. If either of you are troubled by other classmates due to this arrangement, don't hesitate to tell me or Yuuri." I feel like that last part is mostly said for me because I can tell she is staring at the small gash across my face.

I avoid making eye contact with her as I agree and thank her. I turn back to Alexander and say quietly, "Follow me then."

I turn around and start walking home. I hear his footsteps behind me so I continue on. On our walk home I can't help but think if I should ask him something. Just as I open my mouth to ask something he speaks, "So, Mafuyu, what's your deal?"

I stop in my tracks and almost yell at him for using my first name without permission. I calm myself down before turning around to face him. I flinch back in surprise due to his proximity. I clear my throat and say while averting my gaze, "You know, here in Japan it's kind of rude to call one by their first name without asking them. And what do you mean, what's my deal?"

"I don't see anything wrong with calling you by your first name it is after all, your name. And I mean, why do you and the blue haired girl live in the school house versus a regular dormitory? I thought only the head of the school and their family was supposed to stay there."

I grimace slightly as I try to play things off, "Fine, call me whatever you want. And I'm sure you'll hear plenty of stories on this topic around school soon enough."

"Why won't _you_ tell me," He asks with a serious tone.

"Why do _you_ want to know?!" I exclaim as I look at the ground. I see him take a step closer through the movement of his feet so I look up. He lifts his hand up to my face and I panic, remembering this morning with Hana and Miyuri. I close my eyes as panic begins to take over my entire mind and body.

I jump at his sudden, yet gentle, touch to my face. He strokes his thumb over the small gash and I wince slightly. He whispers, "Is this why you close yourself off?" I can feel the warmth of his hands through his dark gloves.

Tears form at the corner of my eyes as I brush off his hand. "This was an accident. Let's just get home and maybe Tomo will want to tell you our reason for living there."

I turn back around and continue walking, trying to ignore the strange feeling in my chest. As soon as I had realized that he was being gentle, my heart had started to ache. I did not like where my feelings for him were going. I did not like that they were progressing so quickly either.

Once I unlock the front door I say quietly, "I'll make you a copy of the key as soon as I can. After I introduce you to Tomo I can show you to your room."

Before he can respond Tomo comes rushing to the door. She stops suddenly when she sees Alexander standing next to me. "Alexander-kun?"

I try not to exclaim, "It's not what it looks like Tomo! Sensei said his housing situation has been arranged and he's staying here with us."

"You're so loud. I doubt she was assuming anything bad." He mutters as Tomo quickly composes herself.

She greets enthusiastically, "Welcome, Alexander-kun. I hope you enjoy your stay."

I can see him turn away shyly from the corner of my eyes and I feel a bit upset. He finds me loud yet Tomo has already made his shy side show? I mentally shake my head and instead say, "Tomo why don't you show him to one of the empty rooms. I'll get dinner started while you show him around."

Tomo nods happily as she tugs Sasha upstairs. I smile after the both of them, pushing away my earlier feeling. After changing into something comfortable, I head down to the kitchen.

After some pondering, I look for Uncle's book of recipes. After finding a recipe for a certain Russian dish, I get to work. Luckily I have the right ingredients for the dish I chose.

Halfway through my cooking, I hear Tomo behind the kitchen door, "And this is the kitchen. Normally I'd show you the inside but sometimes Mafuyu-chan doesn't like to be interrupted."

I feel my eye twitch and am tempted to go out there but then I hear his deep voice ask, "Tomo, may I ask you something?"

"Yes, what is it, Alexander-kun?" As she asks I realize what it is that he is going to ask.

I try not to listen but I hear him ask, "Why do you and Mafuyu live here?"

"Well, my father used to be the headmaster of the school. He left suddenly a few years ago without an explanation. The new headmaster, and the rest of the staff, agreed to let Mafuyu and I stay here while we finished up high school."

"Forgive me for being rude but _your_ father?" Sasha asks a bit more quietly, making it harder to hear.

"Eh? Oh, that. Well you see, father found Mafuyu a long time ago, when we were both very little. He did take care of us equally though. We were raised like sisters." I hear Tomo answer.

Before another conversation can be started up between them I realize that the Russian dish I had been preparing was beginning to overheat. I quickly turn off the stove and head over to one of the cabinets with the dishes.

I slowly emerge from the kitchen to the dining room and set the table. After bringing out the pot of borscht I call out, "Tomo, Alexander-kun! Dinner is ready!"

I am surprised when a deep voice from behind me speaks, "You don't have to be so loud, we were close by."

Tomo laughs nervously as she takes her seat. I huff as Alexander sits down. As I serve the borscht I notice Alexander is giving it the stink eye. I ask defensively, "Is something wrong?"

"I don't trust that you making this Russian dish is giving it justice."

"Don't be so dramatic. Complain after you have tried it!" I almost demand as I serve him a bowl and set it in front of him.

He hesitates at first but then puts a spoonful of the borscht into his mouth. Tomo and I look at him intently, hoping to see his reaction through his facial expressions. He mumbles something in what I believe to be Russian before devouring the rest of the borscht in his bowl. I smile as I refill it before serving myself.

Tomo excuses herself first after I insist she should get some rest. I begin to pile the dishes so I can take them to the sink. Alexander says quietly, "Let me help you."

I blush lightly as I nod and lead the way to the kitchen. Once in there I say nervously, "Alexander-kun, thanks for helping me bring the dishes here but I'll clean up. You can go on ahead and make yourself comfortable in your new room."

It seems like he wants to say something. "Alexander-kun?"

"Sasha." He mumbles.

"Eh?" I am confused at the name he says.

"You and Tomo can call me Sasha." He says with more sincerity while averting his gaze. I can see the faint blush on his cheeks before he walks out of the kitchen. I smile after him, refraining from making any comments. _Why am I so happy to be getting close to him?_

 **AN: A quick update because I feel inspired at the moment. I just feel bad that I haven't updated my other story that I have over a year working on. *sighs* Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** **kris11993** **, thank you so much for your reviews, I wasn't necessarily putting myself down because of reviews, I mean you're the only who has reviewed so far haha. I was just apologizing ahead of time. I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 3 Mafuyu's Point of View

I decided to take a bath after finishing up my homework. I check in on Tomo before going in and find that she is still doing her homework. _If she's still at it when I get out then I'll help her._

I decide to rinse my body down first. After I peel off my clothes I can't help but check my back in the long mirror we have in the bathroom. My eyes widen when they find bruises on my lower back.

I had expected bruises but not like this. They were big and a mixture of green and purple. I place my fingers over one and wince slightly. I guess they're going to be hurting for a while.

After washing my hair and body I fill the tub and sit in it for a while. _Sasha, a diminutive for his name Alexander, it's kind of cute. I guess living with him won't be so bad. He doesn't seem like a bad guy._ I ponder a bit longer before deciding to get out of the tub. As I step out, the door opens suddenly.

I quickly turn to my side and cover my breasts. I am about to reach for the soap bar to throw it at him but he distracts me when he speaks, "Are those from the same person who scratched your face?" I realize he's talking about the bruises. _Crap! He's able to see them at the angle I'm in._

I ignore his question and instead yell, "What the hell?! You can't just barge in here! You are supposed to knock!"

Sasha continues to stare blankly at me. He finally says, "Whatever. Nothing to see here," and closes the door behind him.

I refrain from screaming out in frustration and instead grab the towel by the door before heading to my room. I realize my face is still hot from embarrassment as I think about his last comment. _If he claimed there was nothing to see, does that mean he's into girls with really huge breasts?_ I grimace at the thought of him and Tomo being together.

I shake my head vigorously at that thought. _If the_ _ **both**_ _of them want to be together I'm no one to stop them from being together. What am I saying? He just got here and I'm already making assumptions._

I push these thoughts aside as I try to go to sleep.

The following morning, after Tomo, Sasha and I have breakfast, we head out for school. While Tomo and Sasha are conversing about the school, I can't help but notice the looks we are getting from the other students. Eventually they start whispering as we pass by.

For me, this is normal but I was wondering if Sasha felt comfortable with all of this. I wasn't even sure that Tomo was comfortable with this. I glance over my shoulder and find that Tomo is looking at the ground while Sasha glares back at the students who are gawking at us.

All of a sudden I hear Miyuri speak, "Would you look at yourself, Oribe-san, acting like you're all that."

I stop in my tracks and look over to find Miyuri and Hana standing by the staircase that leads to the less occupied side of school. I can feel Sasha's eyes on me as I look at the two girls. Miyuri looks behind me and smiles.

She walks up to me and pushes me aside while introducing herself to Sasha, "You must be the transfer student everybody is talking about, Alexander-kun, right? Or can I just call you Sasha? I'm sure we'll become great friends even though we have a different class. There is no reason for you to be hanging around these kind of people. I can rearrange your housing condition as well if you would like."

"Did I ask your opinion? And do not call me Sasha." Sasha says coolly before turning to me. Before I can ask "what" he grabs me by the elbow and pulls me to his side demanding an explanation from Miyuri, "Why did you push her aside? It was rude of you and I believe you owe her an apology."

I blush lightly as I nervously look at Miyuri and see her eye and mouth twitch. She pretends to be confused and acts innocently, "Ehh? Oh, I'm sorry, Oribe-san! I did not see you there." I almost flinch as she glares over at me. And with that, Miyuri goes back to Hana.

As they leave I see Hana give me a certain look, making me worry for Tomo. "Mafuyu-chan," Tomo whispers. I look over at Tomo and find that she seems happy. _Why am I the only one worrying? So many things can go wrong now._

She smiles at me as she continues walking to class ahead of us while humming to herself. That's when I notice Sasha is still holding my elbow. I feel my face heat up as I quickly tug my arm away and say, "Come on, we need to get going. But…thank you, Sasha."

I try my hardest to ignore the feeling in my chest as I walk to class. I am so focused on looking at the ground that I don't see the guy in front of me and run into him. "I'm so sorry," We both say in unison.

I blush lightly as I look up and find a dark haired boy with brown eyes looking at me. He extends his arm and helps me up. I apologize quietly again before continuing on my way to class. I had almost forgotten that Sasha was behind me until I hear him ask quietly, "How can you be so calm when they talk about you like that?"

"What do you mean?" I ask as I stop outside our classroom.

I look over at him and find that he seems upset. He remains silent and passes by me without answering. I follow quietly behind him, unsure of what I have done to upset him.

Sasha's Point of View

"What do you mean?" She asks, seemingly naïve.

I can't bring myself to tell her. So instead I walk inside the classroom without telling her anything. I didn't even know why it bugged me so much to hear those guys whisper about her. I'm not even sure why I defended her the way I did against those other girls.

I mean sure, it would be the right thing to do but I usually don't involve myself with others.

" _Man, wasn't that Oribe Mafuyu? Did you get to touch anything when she bumped into you?" "Nah man, I wouldn't mind making her mine though. She's still pure, I'm sure."_

I grit my teeth as I remember what those idiots were whispering about as Mafuyu walked away. I mentally scold myself then. I told myself that I was not to get close to anyone ever again, not after the way I lost Olja.

I couldn't go through another loss like that.

 **AN: Okay so in this story, Mafuyu has her original breast size, which in my opinion is fine. It's just going to be hard to get Mafuyu and Sasha intimate when the whole soma thing is out of the picture. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thanks for the reviews. I really like knowing what my readers think. Well here is the next chapter, enjoy! I do not enjoy Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 4 Sasha's Point of View

Throughout the entire lecture I cannot stop myself from looking at Mafuyu. She seems distracted. I think about earlier and wonder if I should apologize for ignoring her. _NO! If I'm too nice to her then she'll get the wrong idea. Besides she's not my type…or is she?_

"Alexander-kun, please come up and solve the problem," The teacher says casually.

I grunt inwardly as I stand and go up to the board. I finish it quickly before going back to my desk, avoiding Mafuyu's eyes. For the rest of the lecture I look at the board as the teacher goes on with the lesson.

During our lunch I see Tomo go up to Mafuyu's desk. I pull out a book and begin to read. Shortly after starting, Tomo comes up to my desk asking, "Want to eat with us?"

"What?" I can't help but respond with a bit of shock in my voice.

Tomo smiles at me and explains, "Mafuyu packed a lot for lunch, come eat with us. Oh but she said we should start without her. She went to the ladies room just now."

I can't help but think if Mafuyu should be alone right now? I look at Tomo and see that she seems worried too even though she's trying to hide it. "Tomo, you go ahead and start eating. I have to do something real quick. I'll be back."

I start walking towards the nearest restrooms and stop when I see Mafuyu talking to the guy she bumped into earlier. I stay at the turn of building, hiding myself from their view. _Why am I watching? What do I care about who talks to her? Still, the way she's fidgeting and blushing…_

They talk for a bit longer before Mafuyu continues on her way down to the restrooms. I'm about to head back to the classroom when I see the pink haired girl approach the guy. I watch as she laughs with him and whispers something to him. He nods as he takes an envelope from her.

I grit my teeth and furiously head back to the classroom. I go back to my seat, where Tomo has set out the food, and stare blankly at the food on my desk. She asks quietly, "Is Mafuyu-chan okay?"

I look up at her and tell her honestly, "I don't know, Tomo. But I will protect her."

Tomo simply smiles back at me, happy with my answer. Meanwhile, I am surprised at my own words. _Why do I want to protect her so badly? I hardly know her._

Just as that last thought crosses my mind, Mafuyu sits down with Tomo and me and begins to eat. I look over at her and find that she is still blushing. Tomo seems to notice as well and teases her, "Mafuyu-chan, what could have happened for you to be blushing so much?"

Mafuyu reacts and quickly justifies herself, "Tomo! Nothing happened, it's just kind of hot in here. I mean, don't you feel it too?"

Tomo continues to tease Mafuyu as I simply listen. I want to tell her to be careful with what she's doing but I don't want the whole classroom to hear. Maybe when we get home I'll let her know. All I can do at the moment is hear the two girls tease and giggle between mouthfuls.

A few days pass and I can't help but notice the changes in Mafuyu. She seems happier and more aware of her appearance and actions. She's been making excuses during breaks and lunches and I know why. Tomo seems pleased, only because I haven't told her what I've seen.

I couldn't bring myself to tell her that Mafuyu, the girl who always protects her, is being fooled. Today, Tomo is out sick, so I have a chance to talk to Mafuyu on the way home.

As I put away my things I notice the bastard is at the doorway, probably waiting for Mafuyu. I stand quickly and walk to Mafuyu's desk before she can see him. I say sternly but quietly, "Give me your hand and let me guide you."

She blinks back in surprise, unsure of how else to respond. I lift my hand and wait. I see a faint blush appear on her cheeks as she slowly lifts her hand and hesitantly puts it in mine. I close my hand around hers and it stops shaking.

When she stands, I pull her along quickly, sending a glare in the direction of the guy who is now in a less visible spot. He must have seen my interaction with Mafuyu. I smirk as I continue to pull Mafuyu along.

Once we're away from the school crowd, I stop walking and turn to face Mafuyu. She stutters, "W-What is it?"

"Mafuyu, you have to stay away from that guy."

"What gu-" I cut her off, "You know who I'm talking about. He isn't good for you. He is doing dirty work for the pink haired girl for money."

"What…? No! You're lying, Sasha!"

My eyes widen at her denial. "What makes you say I'm lying?"

"Because you don't know me, Sasha! Why would you look out for me if you don't know anything about me? It's easier to believe that you want to mess with me than it is to believe that you're looking out for me!"

 _What is this woman saying? She has trouble believing that a stranger would look out for her? She is more willing to believe that a stranger will always work against her? Why does she close herself off?_

As tears flow from her eyes I realize, _she's like me._ That's why the priest had arranged my housing situation with Mafuyu. She has problems like me and doesn't want to let others close.

But if I don't want to let anyone close then why am I doing this? _Why am I trying to protect her? Why did I tell Tomo that I'd protect Mafuyu? And why am I…_

For an unknown reason I begin to lean in as I loosen my grip on her wrist. I can sense her open her eyes once she feels my lips inching closer to hers. She begins to breathe hardly as she waits for what is to come.

Our lips are so close; it would take no effort to have them connect. It's so unbearably frustrating at how easy the task is but I can't manage to do it. I can't help but ask myself if I really want to do this?

 **AN: Sorry for the delayed update, I just got a new job. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 5 Mafuyu's Point of View

I open my eyes as I sense him leaning in. My eyes widen for a brief moment before closing slowly. _Is he really going to kiss me? Why am I letting him? Do I really want this to happen?_

After what feels like forever, I sense him moving again. I am caught off guard when he places his hand on my lower back and jump slightly as I open my eyes. He asks while looking down, "Does it still hurt?"

"No, the marks are almost gone as well," I respond quietly.

As soon as those words leave my mouth he lets go of me and puts his hands inside his pockets. Before I can ask what all of that was about he says sternly, "Okay I was just checking, nothing else. But you should really listen to me. I saw her hand him an envelope that same day you first talked to him."

I become infuriated and only acknowledge the first part, "You didn't have to do all of that! You could've just asked me if it still hurt."

I stop ranting when I realize that he is staying quiet while looking at me with a serious look. I look away a bit embarrassed. Sasha mutters, "Do what you like. I told you what I saw."

With that he continues to walk on ahead. I stand there, deciding not to start walking until he's out of my sight. Once that happens I continue to walk back to the house. A couple blocks from the house there is a park, I decide to stop there.

I think about what Sasha told me. _He has no reason for lying to me. But he also has no reason for protecting me. And it's believable that Miyuri would do such a thing but I can't say the same for Mikami. But then again, I don't really know much about Mikami._

I ponder a bit longer before deciding it is time to head home. As I get off the swing I notice a figure by the entrance of the park. I walk hesitantly at first until I realize that it is Mikami. I smile and walk up to him as I greet him, "Hey, Mikami. What are you doing here?"

"Oribe, I uh…well I saw you walking home with the transfer student. But then I saw you walking to the park alone."

"Well, Sasha, Tomo and I all live in the same place. It only makes sense for us to walk home together."

"Yamanobe-san wasn't here today. And I've never seen you leave the classroom while holding his hand before." As he continues to talk I realize that it sounds like he's been stalking me.

Even though I begin to feel nervous and scared I try to act like normal, "Oh that. I'm not really sure why he did it either. But as you can see, he ended up going ahead of me." _Now I'm wishing I hadn't let him get out of my sight._

"After he almost kissed you?" Mikami says angrily.

"How did you…" I know the answer but I have to keep acting like I don't know what's going on. I try to shrug it off, "Anyway, I really have to get going. I'll see you in school."

Mikami grabs my arm as I try to walk past him. "What are you doing?!" I exclaim, trying not to sound terrified.

"No one can have you before me, Oribe," He says sternly as he pulls me against him.

Before I can yell for help, a deep voice demands, "Let go of her."

The both of us look over to where the voice came from. I feel so relieved to see Sasha standing a few feet away. Sasha glares at Mikami menacingly before saying once more, "Let go of her."

I feel Mikami tense up right before he let's go of my arm. I quickly go over to Sasha. Mikami mutters, "Whatever," and then walks away.

Sasha looks over at me and asks, "Are you okay?"

I nod unsure of how to answer. "Let's get going then, Tomo must be worried that we're taking so long to get home."

When he turns around I begin to cry. He seems to notice because he looks back at me and quickly asks, "Did he do something to you?"

"No, it's not that, Sasha. I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I'm so sorry for being such a fool."

"You're such an idiot…I get why you had trouble believing me. Stop crying, okay? You're fine now." Sasha says a bit shyly.

"Thank you, Sasha." I say as I wipe my tears. He looks away shyly before beginning to walk ahead. I follow behind him and compose myself quietly.

 _I knew I hadn't imagined that he almost kissed me. It wasn't just to check if my bruises still hurt. He was actually going to do it. Thanks to an unwanted observer, I know I wasn't imagining things._

Once we arrive back home, Tomo greets us, "Mafuyu-chan, Sasha-kun! I was starting to get worried since you were taking quite a while."

I hug Tomo while saying, "It's alright Tomo. We're home now. I'll get dinner started and then I'll help you with tonight's homework."

Tomo smiles in agreement before starting a conversation with Sasha. I look over at him before heading upstairs and blush slightly. _Thank you, Sasha._

Sasha's Point of View

I can't help but smile for a brief moment as I watch Mafuyu and Tomo greet each other. I am glad to know that Mafuyu wasn't traumatized with that bastard's intentions. When Tomo turns to me to tell me about something, I notice Mafuyu look over at me.

While pretending not to notice, I see her blush a bit. I feel my cheeks heat up a bit. If Tomo noticed then she didn't say anything about it and I'm thankful for that.

Later that night I can't help but think about the way I handled things. I almost kissed Mafuyu and I know that would not have ended well. Not to mention, the conflict I had with myself of going back to check on Mafuyu or not. I am glad that I did but still…

 _Why am I acting like this? I know it was the right thing to do, to save her from that bastard; but to comfort her? What was that all about? And the feeling of jealousy and rage when I saw him grab her, how can I explain all of that?_

 _No! I cannot allow this. She'll just end up being another weakness of mine. I do not need a repeat of what happened to Olja. But I don't know how to distance myself from Mafuyu anymore._

 **AN: Sorry for the short chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Sorry I have not updated in such a long time! I will try to finish this story soon. I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 6 Sasha's Point of View

" _Sasha-kun! Come this way!" A soft giggle echoes. I look around but see no one. "I'm right here, Sasha," A familiar voice speaks softly._

 _I turn around and there she is. "Olja." I say her name and begin to run towards her. It seems as if I'm never going to reach her. All of a sudden, a pair of hands grab onto her ankles and pull her down into darkness. She cries out, "Sasha! Please, save me!"_

" _Olja! No!"_

My eyes suddenly burst open. I am breathing heavily with beads of sweat covering my forehead. I see my outstretched hand and slowly put it down. I look around the room and slowly regulate my breathing as I run my hand through my hair.

I shake my head and pull off the covers, deciding to go take a cold shower. As I stand under the running water I can't help but think back to the nightmare I had. _Why would I have one so suddenly when I haven't had them since I arrived here?_ Then I realize, when I saw that bastard trying to hurt Mafuyu, it must've triggered me.

I clench my fist and slam it against the wall. _This is the exact reason why I shouldn't get close to her! If I start caring then that means I have a weakness. I cannot be weak!_

I turn off the shower head and step out to dry myself. I make my way quietly back to my room and start getting ready for school. As I finish putting on my clothes, I hear a knock at my door. "What is it?"

Mafuyu speaks, "Breakfast is ready. Hurry on down, we don't want to be late for school."

"Alright," I respond casually before slipping on my gloves and heading downstairs to the dining room.

While we're eating I can't help but notice that Tomo isn't at the table. Before I can ask, Mafuyu clarifies, "Tomo isn't feeling well. She's in bed resting. I left a note on her nightstand letting her know I left some soup for her and for her not to worry."

 _Such a kind woman, looking out for someone else even though she clearly needs someone to look out for her._ "I see," I simply say, not continuing the conversation.

We continue to eat in silence. After we finish, she cleans up quickly and then suggests we start heading out. I nod my head in agreement and lead the way. Our walk is silent. No bickering, no explanations, no small talk.

Once we reach the school building, Mafuyu stops walking. I stop as well and look back at her. She seems hesitant to speak but then does so, "Sasha, I have something to do before going to class. Go on ahead without me, I'll see you there."

Before I can respond she runs inside but in the opposite direction of our classroom. I stare after her, wondering if should follow her. I curse at myself for still worrying about her and instead head to class.

Mafuyu's Point of View

As I run in the opposite direction of our classroom I think about what I'm doing. Is it really a good idea to confront Miyuri and Hana? I slow down as I approach their morning hang out spot, near the abandoned classrooms. I hesitate when I see them snickering at a shy girl walking past them.

I quietly clear my throat as I approach them and call them out, "Miyuri. Hana. I would like to speak with you two."

They glare over at me before smirking. They close the distance between us and Miyuri asks, "What do you want, Oribe-san?"

Before I can respond, Hana grabs me by my uniform and drags me into one of the abandoned classrooms. Once inside she shoves me to the ground. I refrain from crying out and slowly stand up as Miyuri closes the door. I look at both of them as they cross their arms.

"I get that you hate me and want to ruin my life but sending Mikami to come after me?! Isn't that pushing it a bit too far?!"

Miyuri huffs before coming up to me and slapping me across the face. As I put my hand over my face she explains, "Don't think so highly of yourself just because you get the transfer student in the same home as you. We simply asked Mikami to play around with you and dump you in front of everybody. If he really went after you, as you're claiming, that was all him."

I look at her with confusion. She lifts her hand again and I flinch, fearing another hit. Miyuri scoffs and continues, "I can't believe that loser would actually want to do something with you. But it doesn't surprise me that you attract creeps. Although, I can't promise that we won't urge him to start a nasty rumor."

"You can't do that!" I exclaim. Unfortunately, that was the wrong reaction.

Hana shoves me to the ground again and exclaims herself, "You can't speak to us like that, know your place!"

She looks over at Miyuri, as if asking for permission for something. Miyuri smirks at me before nodding to Hana. Hana then says quietly, "Just know, that I do hope this time you don't heal so soon."

My eyes widen as she lifts her foot and stomps on my side several times. She then proceeds to kick me around. She doesn't stop until I cough out blood. She snickers and begins to walk away. More blood drips from my open mouth, the only way I can breathe without it hurting so much.

Miyuri squats down next to me and mutters, "It wouldn't have gone this bad if you remembered your place you know. I just hope you remember that for next time."

She stands up and looks at her watch. She whines, "Oh no, Oribe-san. You made us late for class. Next time you want to talk, do it early or after school lets out. Cause I would hate to see what would happen to you or Yamanobe-san if you start to cause trouble for us."

They then walk out and close the door behind them. I wait until I can no longer hear their footsteps before taking out my handkerchief and cleaning up my face and the floor. After making sure there's no trace of blood on the floor or on my face, I make my way to the school nurse.

When she sees me walk in she remains silent. I ask her with a shaky voice, "May you please look at my side…I fell down the stairs."

She comes up to me and hugs me gently. That's all she can do since I can't tell her what really happened. "Yes, of course. Step this way."

After she is done bandaging me up, I put my uniform back on. "Do you want to go back to class right now? Or would you like to stay in here for a bit longer?"

I shake my head. "I should get going. I already missed my first class."

"I sent your teacher a note. I could do the same for a couple more of your classes, you don't need to worry about that."

"No, it's alright. I'll be fine. Thank you so much," I say calmly before getting up and heading to class. _I hope it isn't noticeable that I'm in pain. I'd rather no one found out, especially not Tomo or Sasha._

 **AN: So I'm not really sure where I'm going with this but oh well. Anyway, please review and again, sorry for not updating until now.**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 7 Mafuyu's Point of View

The teacher goes on about what we need to include in our essays, as I start to zone out. I start to push my eraser around and end up pushing it off my desk. I bite my lower lip as I ponder if it's worth it to pick it up. I eye it and see that it fell fairly close to my desk. I look over at the clock and see I have a few minutes left. No point in straining the bandages underneath my uniform just yet, I decide to get it at the end of class.

One by one the classroom starts to empty. I continue to slowly put my items away, hoping the room will clear. I see someone standing by me from the corner of my eye. I look over and find Sasha picking up my eraser. He places it gently on my desk before murmuring, "Let's get going." I feel myself blush a little as I put away my eraser and stand to leave. I let Sasha lead the way, hoping he won't notice that I'm in pain.

Halfway home, he stops in his tracks. I come to a stop as well, wondering why he has stopped. Before I can ask him anything, he begins, "Why haven't you told me?"

I stutter for a brief second before responding, "What are you talking about?"

He looks over his shoulder at me. I tense up a bit but quickly try to play it off, "You're always being so serious. Let's get going, Tomo must be getting hungry again." I run ahead of him, pretending I feel no pain just to get him off my back. _There's no way he knows or cares enough to further investigate. I just need to be careful around him. I don't want to involve him._

Just as the house comes into view, Sasha grabs my elbow and holds me back. I tense up a little and slowly look over at him. He has a serious look on his face. My lower lip quivers a little. It's as if his stare is telling me he will help me if I let him. I open my mouth to speak but no words come out. So he speaks, "Why didn't you tell me that you were going to meet with those girls?"

I pull my arm away and look away before responding, "It's really none of your concern."

"What about Tomo?" He asks.

My eyes widen. I turn around and shout, "You can't tell her anything! You have no right to! Just mind your own business!" I throw my bag down and run away from him, ignoring the pain on my side.

I end up at an abandoned shrine, not far from the house but far enough to have several minutes alone if they come looking for me. I go up to the old building and place a hand on it. I stare blankly for a few seconds. I then feel a tear slide down my cheek. I ball up my hand then and rest my forehead against the building. I try hard to hold back my tears but they keep coming.

There was no reason for me to snap at Sasha like that. Even if it's true that it isn't his business, he was showing genuine concern, especially for Tomo. I could have handled things better. The tears come to a stop slowly. That's when I feel another presence. I become alert and look around. I can't see anyone but that doesn't mean that no one's there.

I begin to walk back in the direction of the house cautiously. I still get the creepy sensation that I'm being watched. I hug myself in an attempt to make myself feel safer but I just can't shake the feeling.

That is, until I see him. Sasha is leaning against a lamp post…waiting for me. "Sasha?"

He looks over at me and doesn't say anything. I don't know why, but I feel something more than relief. I feel glad, like I wanted him to be waiting for me. My heart begins to beat differently and I feel knots in my stomach, but why? My face begins to heat up then so I look down as I apologize, "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have snapped at you. And…thank you."

I can't bring myself to tell him what I'm thankful for.

Sasha's Point of View

As she thanks me, I feel my cheeks grow hot. Even though she isn't looking at me, I still look away. I push myself off the lamp post and then say, "It's alright. Let's get going. Tomo was worried I showed up without you…but I promised her I would find you."

Mafuyu's Point of View

I look up then, only to find that his back is to me. _I see, so it's only because he promised Tomo._ "Let's get going then." Sasha begins to lead the way home and I follow behind, closely but not too closely.

As Tomo greets me with a tight hug, which hurts by the way, I can't help but think about how foolish I was. Of course Sasha wouldn't come looking for me, just for _me_. It's because he promised Tomo.

After supper, I decide to take a bath. Once inside the bathroom, I take my uniform off slowly and take a deep breath before removing the bandages. Little by little, the white color of the bandages is replaced by the dark color of the bruises forming on my skin. I place my fingertips on the damaged area gently and consider letting Tomo know. Just as soon as the thought enters my mind, I decide against it and start my bath.

The remainder of my bath, I can't help but continuing to think about the feeling I got earlier. I was really glad to see him. My heart was happy that he was there, waiting for me. But I also felt really foolish when I realized it was only because he had promised Tomo. But what if it was also for me?

I shake my head vigorously and finish up. After clearing the tub, I throw my uniform in the laundry basket and grab a towel to dry myself. As I'm drying myself, I get the same feeling of being watched. I hesitantly look behind me and out the window just above the bathtub.

Nothing is there, nothing I can see anyway. However, I still feel uneasy. I wrap the towel around me and head back to my room. I never realized before how inconvenient all the windows in the house were until now. There were so many in the hallway that start by the bathroom and go all the way down to the top of the stairs. I keep looking over my shoulder as I walk to my room. I don't realize that Sasha is walking out of his room, since I'm looking over my shoulder, and I bump into him.

The towel falls off and I quickly scramble to pick it up and hold it against me as I frantically apologize, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you I just felt really uneasy and…"

I stop talking as I realize he's staring at my side, which just so happened to be exposed.

 **AN: Sorry for the constant switch in the point of views but I thought it was necessary for that scene. Anyway, please review and sorry for the long hiatus.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 8 Mafuyu's Point of View

I try to cover my side quickly, even though he has already seen the bruising, but as I try to wrap the towel around me, he grabs my wrist. I freeze and look down at his gloved hand holding my wrist. "Mafuyu…"

I look up at him then, my cheeks begin to burn. I beg, "Can we talk about it in my room, I don't want Tomo to see." He nods and stands. He then offers his hand to me to help me up. I hesitantly place my hand in his and stand. I then wrap up the towel and lead the way into my room.

Once we are inside, I draw the curtains before sitting at the edge of my bed, not realizing I left a gap. Sasha stands in front of me and waits silently. "I didn't want to worry you guys. I thought I could stand up to them. And I did but…it was pointless. They just left me like this."

"Why would you even bother with them? Why couldn't you just ignore them?" Sasha asks with a bit of confusion.

Tears begin to form as I continue, "Don't you think I've tried doing that? We've been going to the same school for years and they don't stop. I'm not sure why I thought things would be different now. But all I know is that I have to keep Tomo safe and if that means I get all the beatings and threats, then so be it."

"How can you say that?!" Sasha exclaims.

I look up, a bit surprised by his outburst. He continues, "You act as if your life has no meaning but it does! You want to protect Tomo but do you ever think about how these injuries have been escalating? You could end up seriously injured and end up leaving Tomo alone. It's fine to protect her but you need to take care of yourself as well."

"You don't understand. It has to be me or they'll target her. Tomo was hurt enough when Uncle left, I can't let anybody hurt her anymore."

"Stubborn woman," Sasha grumbles as he comes up to me. I'm taken by surprise due to his proximity and lean back. I feel my face heat up as he places his hands on either side of me. "Why can't you see that your life matters just as much?"

Sasha's Point of View

As the question leaves my mouth I realize the position we're in. Her eyes look away from mine and I can't help but stare at her lips. I begin to whisper, "I can't stand the idea…I'll be the one to…" I lose focus as I continue to stare at her lips. It would be so easy to…

I realize what is happening then and casually back off. I look away and say, "Anyway, I won't tell Tomo. But you can't keep doing this. You can't keep going on your own trying to be a heroine. Take care of yourself."

And with that I leave her room.

As I close the door to my room I start to replay everything in my head. My cheeks burn up a little as I recall what I was about to do. _I don't like how close I am getting to her. But I cannot stop myself, no matter how hard I try. I just want to protect her._

That's when I remember, Mafuyu had said she felt uneasy and when we got into her room, the first thing she did was draw her curtains. _What could be making her uneasy?_ I think about checking on her but then decide against it. I would probably end up doing something stupid if I went to see her now. I could just ask her tomorrow.

A couple of weeks go by and thankfully Mafuyu hasn't been attacked again and Tomo seems to be her usual self. However, I have noticed that Mafuyu would get really uneasy at certain times and would look around. I haven't been able to ask her about it.

Mafuyu's Point of View

As the days continue to go by, I can't help but continue to feel uneasy. I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched or followed. I hope I am just being paranoid but I fear that I am not.

On the other hand, I keep replaying my talk with Sasha in my head. His genuine concern for me got me to blush. But it was him being so close to me, while on top of me, that got my heart racing. For a second, I had thought he was going to kiss me.

I know it's a ridiculous thought but a part of me believes that. I haven't been able to tell Tomo any of this. I'm scared to admit how I feel. And I also fear that Sasha has feelings for her, or at the very least, he cares for her more. And I hate to admit it, but that makes me a little jealous.

As I stare down at my blank notebook with my pencil in my hand, Tomo suddenly places her hands on my desk and exclaims, "Mafuyu-chan, it's time to go home!"

"Eh?" I say a bit dumbfounded as I look up at her smiling face. Tomo giggles and teases, "What's on your mind, Mafuyu-chan? You're staring at your notebook even though there's nothing written down."

I feel my face heat up as I try to come up with an excuse, "I just…wasn't sure if I should add something to my notes or not. But it's time to go home, so let's go!"

I stuff everything in my bag and stand quickly. Sasha walks by and mumbles at me, "Such a loud woman." Tomo giggles as I feel my face grow hotter.

"Curse that tundra brat! He always has to say what's on his mind."

Tomo responds to my remark with a tease, "I think he's teasing you and it's making you blush."

I cover Tomo's mouth quickly and exclaim in a whisper, "Tomo! You can't say stuff like that out loud. What if someone hears you?"

She gently removes my hand from her mouth and explains, "It's okay, I only said that because no one is around. But we should catch up to Sasha-kun." I let out a defeated sigh and follow Tomo out of the classroom. When we reach Sasha, we end up leading the way back home.

Once we're home, Tomo heads to the kitchen exclaiming, "I'll make dinner!" I smile as I watch her walk to the kitchen happily.

Sasha then says, "There's an envelope for you Mafuyu."

I take the envelope from Sasha after placing my bag down and check for a return address. There is none. I open it and pull out a folded paper which is concealing something. When I unfold the paper, several pictures fall out. I don't notice them right away since I begin to read the message on the paper. It reads: "I'm always there. I'm always watching."

I freeze and lose grip on the paper, letting it fall to the ground along with the photographs. The photographs. I look down and see that Sasha has one in his hand. I look at the others and see that they're all of me. Some were of me at school others of me walking home. Then I notice the ones of me in the bath and me drawing the curtains in my room.

"That bastard," Sasha grunts as he throws the photograph in his hand on the ground. I pick it up and see it's a picture of the night Sasha and I had our talk. It's when he was on top of me…

I quickly collect everything and stuff it back in the envelope with shaky hands. I head for the fireplace in the study. Sasha follows behind me and asks, "What are you doing?"

As soon as I throw the envelope into the fireplace Sasha grabs me and exclaims, "Mafuyu, stop! You should turn this in to the school to get that bastard expelled!"

"What are you talking about?" I ask as I try to hold back tears.

"It's that guy that tried to attack you at the park!"

I shake my head, "No, there's no way it's him. I haven't seen him around since that day. This has to be some sick joke from Miyuri and Hana."

Before Sasha can say anything else, I break into tears. At the moment, it doesn't matter who did it because regardless, it is embarrassing and it scares me. _Why would anyone follow me and take these pictures?_ I slowly sink to the ground while covering my mouth, Sasha follows me down, not letting go of me.

Suddenly, he wraps his arms around me and whispers, "I'm not going to let anybody hurt you. I'll protect you."

 **AN: So I decided to post up another chapter right away! I hope you enjoy, I'll update soon. Please review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Warning, ending may be disturbing to some. I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 9 Mafuyu's Point of View

I wipe my tears away quickly and plead, "Sasha, please, please don't tell Tomo or anybody else about this. I'm sure if whoever sees that I don't react or do anything about it, they'll leave me alone." I know I don't sound as convincing as I wish I did but he nods in agreement.

As the pictures finish burning up, Tomo calls out, "Dinner is ready!" "Coming!" I shout back and start heading towards the kitchen. Sasha stops me by grabbing my wrist. I look back at him and ask, "What is it?"

"Promise me you'll tell me everything from now on. If anyone threatens you, beats you or even looks at you the wrong way; promise you'll tell me." In that moment, I feel nothing but sincerity coming from him. He is genuinely worried about me and he actually seems to care. Why is it making my heart ache though? I nod at him as he slowly releases my wrist.

I eat Tomo's pasta silently as her and Sasha converse about random things. I can't keep myself from thinking about how I felt when he told me to promise him. And I couldn't keep myself from thinking about how there was the possibility that he liked Tomo. I didn't want to feel jealous, especially of Tomo. We're so close and I don't want to do anything to ruin our relationship. I just don't know how to express my feelings at this point.

I'm not used to feeling this way. I'm not used to feeling such turmoil. I usually only feel protective of Tomo; and happiness for her or when I'm with her, but I'm not used to feeling jealous.

The following morning I wake up with a stomach ache. As I let Tomo check my temperature, I hear Sasha mumble, "If you didn't eat so much pasta you probably wouldn't feel sick right now." I turn beet red as I think about how I had three servings of pasta to avoid joining into their conversation last night. I mumble back, "It was good and I was hungry."

Tomo giggles and whispers so only I can hear, "Bickering like and old couple I see." My face grows hot and I feel it adds a physical appearance to how I feel because she says a bit worriedly, "It appears you have a slight fever. I don't think it's from the pasta though. It must be because you stay up every night to help me catch up on homework."

"It's okay, Tomo. If it's a slight fever, that means I can still go to school." I begin to get out of bed when Tomo gently pushes me back and makes me lay down again. I look at her with a puzzled look and ask, "What are you doing?"

"Mafuyu-chan, you always make me stay at home, in bed, when I have any sign of a fever. I am doing the same to you now. It's not up for discussion."

Before I can attempt to make a compelling argument, Sasha says bit bashfully, "If you're worried about being home alone, I could stay with you." I see Tomo's eyes gleam as though she thinks it's a good idea. I then shout purposely, "I'm the one that is sick, so I should be the only one to stay home! The both of you better start heading to school soon or you'll be late!" I lower my voice when I see that the both of them look shocked, "Don't worry about me, I'll just take some aspirin and I'll probably be asleep the whole day anyway."

Tomo agrees cheerily and gives me a hug before walking downstairs. I notice Sasha lingering. I say as he turns to walk away, "Thank you, Sasha, but you know I wouldn't be at ease if Tomo went to school by herself."

"I understand," He says quietly before leaving. When I hear the front door close, I decide to make myself a soup before taking any aspirin.

I feel exhausted by the time I finish eating and cleaning up after myself. I grab the aspirin and take two pills with a glass of water. I don't feel like walking up the stairs to my room so I decide to lay down on the couch that is in the living room.

"Just for a few minutes," I breathe out to myself as I place my forearm over my forehead.

I awaken to the sensation that I am being watched. I sit up quickly and look around. I shriek when I see Mikami standing at the entrance of the living room. I slur, still drowsy from the aspirin, "How did you get in here?"

"I've had time to analyze the house. No alarm system. Kitchen window never locked and conveniently sized for a person to be able to get in through it. I would know because I replaced your aspirin with horse tranquilizers."

His words process through my mind slowly and I'm still a bit confused, "What? You've been in here before?" I stand slowly and try to think about where the nearest phone is. It would be in Uncle's office but it's locked, and the key is in my room. There is the library but the only way there is through the entrance Mikami is standing in.

"What do you want?" Maybe I can talk him out of doing something stupid. "What do I want? Oh come on, is it really that hard to figure it out? I want you, Mafuyu." He says with a creepy grin on his face.

I shake my head and sit back down because the drowsiness isn't going away. He walks halfway into the room with a chair. "If you're wondering how I knew you were going to take the aspirin today, I didn't. I had to wait patiently for you to stay home sick and then check up on you to see if you had taken the pills from the aspirin bottle." I feel sicker and sicker as he keeps revealing everything he has done so far.

"Mikami, you don't really want m-" He cuts me off as he pulls the chair up to the couch and sits, "Listen, Mafuyu. Choose me and I'll protect you from Miyuri and Hana. You won't have to worry about them anymore. And not just that, but you won't have to feel left out when you're with Yamanobe and Alexander." I look at him with a hurt, confused look, "What do you mean, left out?"

"I mean, he basically cradles her to keep her from getting hurt. And everybody thinks they'd make the cutest couple. All that's left is for them to make it official. Won't you feel left out, like the third wheel?"

I feel myself lie down as I think about what he's saying. _Would I really be left out if they started dating? Does everyone else really see them as the perfect couple?_ As the last question crosses my mind, I feel him kissing and slobbering all over my thigh. I attempt to push him away but all it takes if for him to hold my hands back with one of his hands. I'm too drowsy from the tranquilizers.

I don't know if it's the fear or the tranquilizers but it feels as though I am slipping in and out of consciousness. All I was certain of was that I didn't want him to be doing this.

Tears form at the corners of my eyes as he slides a hand up my shirt. He fondles my breasts as he puts his mouth to my neck. I cringe and back away but he only leans in more closely. "Stop," I plead weakly. He only pulls away from my neck to kiss my pelvic area over my shorts. "No, please, stop."

I hear him snicker as he stops for a brief moment. He looks me dead in the eyes and whispers, "It doesn't matter what your answer is. I'm going to have you regardless."

Mikami lifts my shirt. _Someone, please, anyone._ He then pulls my bra down, exposing my breasts. He begins to suck on them and as he does, he attempts to slide his hand down my shorts. I keep pushing his hand away while trying to find the strength to push him off.

He stops and grabs my face while saying hastily, "Don't act like you don't want this to happen. You know you want me to do this. After all, who else will give you this kind of attention?"

I look into his lifeless eyes as his words slowly reach me.

 **AN: Sorry this got pretty violent at the end. Please review.**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Warning, content may be disturbing to some readers. I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 10 Mafuyu's Point of View

 _Was Mikami correct? Deep down, did I want him to do this? After all, he was right. Who else would give me this kind of attention?_

As that last question crosses my mind, a certain silver haired, tundra brat comes to mind. Maybe we won't ever be anything. Maybe he won't ever see me the way I have been seeing him since I met him; but I won't ever know if I give up now.

I find the strength to push him off of me. I get up and make a break for the library. It's hopeless; the tranquilizers make me feel so heavy and drowsy. Mikami easily catches up to me and wraps his arms around me while kissing my neck and whispering, "Nice try, but those tranquilizers aren't going to wear off for another hour. A lot can happen in an hour you know."

"I don't know, so why don't you tell me." We both look in the direction of the entrance of the living room. "Sasha," My voice cracks as tears well up in my eyes. I'm uncertain of what happens next because Mikami throws me to the ground and I pass out.

 _Why does it feel like I'm floating? And this scent, it's familiar but I can't figure out why._ I blink open my eyes and at first all I see is a dark gray color. I then realize that my head is resting against someone's chest. I look up and blush immediately when I recognize Sasha.

"Sasha, what happened?" I ask in a whisper, uncertain of how to speak to him at the moment. When we reach the door to my room, I suggest, "It's okay, I can walk myself. You don't have to carry me in."

He ignores me and opens the door and carries me inside. He closes the door behind him before continuing to my bed. When we reach it, he gently sets me down. The last thing I want to do is talk about or even _think_ about what happened, but I needed to know. "Sasha, please."

"Mafuyu," His voice is surprisingly soft. When he looks up at me I notice his eyes are watery. I feel tears form in my own eyes then. He continues, "I was afraid I wasn't going to arrive in time."

"How did you know?" I wait patiently for an answer. Something tells me he's taking this hard for a certain reason. Sasha finally answers my question, "Yuuri. He urged me to go home early because you were in a situation that I wouldn't want you to be in. He had to word it like that because Tomo was nearby. He didn't want to risk her overhearing. He stayed with her, so don't worry, she's safe. But it will be up to you if you want to tell her what happened."

"What happened after he-" He cuts me off, "After he threw you like you meant nothing? I beat the crap out of him until he told me what he did to you. And after that, I was forced to turn him over. Yuuri sent someone, to make sure I didn't kill the bastard."

I ignore the images that pop up in my head and hesitantly ask, "But why did Yuuri tell you? Why didn't he come himself or have the person that came after you, come in the first place?"

"Because, something similar happened to Olja," He says it without emotion.

"Olja?" How important was she to him? Sasha continues, "She was like a big sister. Someone I deeply cared for. She looked after me even though we were both stuck in the same hellhole. Honestly, Tomo seems to have similar qualities and features as her."

I ignore the pain in the chest and instead ask, "Is she…"

"She's dead. A man killed her and I couldn't do anything to help her." I want to reach for his hand and hold it but I decide against it. "He took advantage of her and he killed her right after. All I could do was hide where she had left me. Where she told me I'd be safe. If only I hadn't been such a weak coward, maybe she'd still be alive."

I'm about to reach for his hand but he suddenly holds them up in front of him. "My hands are still scarred from burying her in the frozen ground. It was the least I could do." I put my feelings aside and take his gloved hands into mine. I exclaim, "Sasha, I know you probably don't want to hear this, but there was nothing you could do. From what it sounds like, you were very young. What could you have done? Olja saved you, she wouldn't have been happy if you had tried to save her only to end up dead as well. I know how that would feel. I understand why she did what she did."

Tears begin to fall from my face as I continue, "I would do the same for Tomo. I would make sure she stays safe no matter what happens to me. And I wouldn't want her to risk her life to try to save mine. So please, don't beat yourself up because you couldn't help her. It wasn't your fault."

"Mafuyu," I can see a faint blush on his cheeks. He catches me off guard by saying, "I was afraid I was going to lose you too. I didn't know what I would have done if I had arrived too late."

"No, please don't think like that. I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon, okay? I'm here, ready to be loud and to annoy you…"

I trail off when he frees one of his hands and caresses my face. He asks quietly, "Are you really okay? What he did to you, it's not easy to go through that."

"I'll be fine, if I have you by my side," I feel him tense up as that last part slips out. I quickly add, "Along with Tomo. I'll just need someone there for me for a while. But I will be fine, I know I will."

Sasha still hasn't removed his hand from my face. I'm about to place my hand over his when suddenly Tomo bursts in exclaiming, "I got your homework along with Sasha's, Mafuyu-chan!" As I look over at her she drops her book bag on the floor, looking at us with wide eyes. Sasha quickly pull his hand away from my face and his other hand out of my clasp.

I feel my entire face heat up as Tomo teases, "You know Sasha, if you wanted alone time with Mafuyu you could've just said so instead of leaving school early pretending you weren't feeling good."

"I-It's not like that, T-Tomo," I can't keep from stuttering. Sasha, on the other hand, says nonchalantly. "I only came to check up on her to see if she felt good enough to make us dinner. Nothing else."

He walks out as if we just didn't have a moment. I yell after him, "You tundra brat!"

 **AN: Please review:)**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Sorry for not updating consistently! I do not own Seikon No Qwaser or any of its characters.**

Chapter 11 Mafuyu's Point of View

As Sasha leaves my room, I think about what he said; that it is up to me whether I tell Tomo or not about what happened. I look over at her and see that she is no longer laughing or smiling. Instead, she is looking at the ground. I can tell she is frowning. I call out to her gently, "Tomo, what's wrong?"

Tomo looks up at me then, tears flowing from her eyes. It seems like she isn't able to hold them back. She speaks through her tears, "Mafuyu-chan, what happened? Don't you trust me anymore?"

I feel my eyes well up the instant she asks me that. I didn't realize I was hurting Tomo by not telling her everything that's been going on. How long could she have been suffering in silence for? "Tomo, I'm sorry." I start crying then too, not having realized before that I really missed talking to Tomo about everything.

She walks into my room, leaving her schoolbag at the entrance, and sits next to me on my bed. I hug her then, trying to tell her through my hug how sorry I was and how sorry I am. She hugs me back tightly and I know she's trying to tell me that it's okay because she's still here, waiting for me to open up to her once again.

I pull back and wipe away her tears while reassuring her, "Please, stop crying, Tomo. It'll be okay now. I've missed you, I'm so sorry." After her tears stop, I wipe away my own tears before starting, "Tomo, there's so much I want to tell you, that I have wanted to tell you. It's not just about what happened today, but it's about something that's been going through my mind for a long time now."

"So Sasha didn't really rush home just to ask about dinner huh?" Tomo says quietly while staring at her hands. I shake my head. I quietly begin to tell her about Mikami, "It started with Mikami attempting to assault me at the park several weeks ago, I didn't think it'd escalate from there. Sasha had saved me then, thankfully. However, he started stalking me soon afterwards. At first, I didn't know it was him, I would only get the creepy sensation that I was being watched. But after a while, I got an envelope full of photos of me from every room in the house, including the bathroom and my own room. Sasha saw the photos and insisted I turn them in to the school. I disagreed and burned the photos, hoping it would all end soon. And then, today happened."

I hug myself as I continue the story, "Mikami, somehow managed to sneak into our home without us noticing. He switched out the aspirin for horse tranquilizers. I didn't notice when I took them, and I got really drowsy. He tried taking advantage of me then, and I was ready to give up, especially because of what he was saying. But then I thought…I couldn't give up, so I managed to push him off of me and try to make a break for it, however, I was still drowsy so he caught me again very easily. Before he could do anything worse than put his disgusting mouth on me, Sasha showed up and well, I guess you could say, beat him up real good. Yuuri had sent someone right after Sasha though, so now they're dealing with Mikami."

"Mafuyu-chan," Tomo says my name softly as she slowly wraps her arms around me. She continues as I sob quietly, "Mafuyu-chan, please talk to me whenever you need to. Something like that can be very traumatizing, no matter how bad you think it wasn't. I know you, please don't try to shrug this off or feel the need to act like it wasn't a big deal. I want to be there for you."

I start sobbing harder as she tells me this. I do not deserve Tomo as a friend. I bury my face into her chest as I continue to cry. I felt so ashamed for having kept things from her, but I need to tell her now. I try my best to calm myself down before telling her, "Tomo, I do not deserve to have you as a friend or sister."

Tomo quickly exclaims, "Don't say that! That's not true!" I wipe the last of my tears away as I say quietly, "Maybe you think that now, but there's more I should tell you." Tomo looks at me with a confused look but waits patiently for me to say something.

I let out a small sigh before starting, "I don't know why but I instantly became attracted to Sasha. Ever since I looked into his eyes, I couldn't shake off this feeling in my chest. Of course, I tried to brush it off multiple times but it never seemed to work. And then I started getting jealous…of you."

I look away from Tomo then, ashamed to admit this. "I didn't want to be jealous of you. I didn't want to be jealous at all, it's a horrible feeling. But every time I thought he did something for me, he'd bring you up and I'd realize, he was doing it for you. And you instantly got his shy side to show, but with me, he thinks I'm loud. I was afraid to tell you any of this because I thought you would hate me for feeling the way I do. But now I feel so horrible because I let my feelings for a guy get in the way of our friendship. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you, but that's exactly what I ended up doing. I'm supposed to protect you, not make you cry!"

Tomo embraces me once again as I yell the last part. I'm caught a bit off guard, I expected her to be upset with me. Tomo whispers as she tightens her hug, "Don't be silly, Mafuyu-chan. There is nothing wrong with feeling jealous, it happens to everyone. I do agree it is a horrible feeling but don't ever feel bad for feeling what you do. And maybe I shouldn't say this, but personally, I think that Sasha-kun has feelings for you too. I just have this feeling. And I was hurt that you had shut me out, but you still took care of me during that time. You shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself, Mafuyu-chan. You have to look after yourself as well."

"Tomo, you're such a good friend," I exclaim and we both break out into tears again as we hug each other.

Little did I know that a silver haired tundra brat was listening in to our conversation.

 **AN: So I thought a Tomo and Mafuyu moment was long overdue in my stories. I always kind of just have Tomo on the side, but I thought a chapter like this would fit into this story well. Hope you liked it, please review.**


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